When Raphael befriends Zog, an alien Triceraton, he may have bitten off more than he can chew.
- Adaptational Villainy: Zigzagged with Zog. The Mirage comics and 2003 cartoon incarnations of him died in battle against the Foot, never realizing how the Turtles were tricking and using him. This Zog becomes lucid after getting his breathing equipment back and is rather rightfully outraged at the Turtles, and promptly turns on them.
- The Bus Came Back: The Kraang return in this episode.
- Continuity Nod: Raph wears his Vision Quest costume.
- The newspaper Dr. Rockwell reads has a picture of Bernie with the headline "Man who hasn't slept in 40 years!", referencing the Dream Beavers episode.
- Same newspaper also notes, in the section below, that "Bigfoot and I
are expecting!" - referencing the episode "A Foot Too Big".
- Disney Villain Death: Zog falls off the Statue of Liberty, refusing Raph's attempt to save him.Zog: Long live the Triceraton empire.
- The Dreaded: The sight of Zog is enough to send a Kraangdroid running.Kraang: It is the one called "the turtles". And the one called tri-tri-tri-triceraton! *drops laser and runs*
- Enemy Mine: Averted. Though the Triceratons and Kraang are enemies, and despite Raph trying to convince Zog to fight the Kraang together as their common enemy, Zog refuses, saying Earthlings cannot be trusted.
- Evil vs. Evil: Zog against the Kraang.
- Face Death with Dignity: Zog quietly swears loyalty to the Triceratons before letting himself fall to his death.
- Fanon Discontinuity: In-universe, after being incredibly disappointed at Crognard's series finale, Mikey re-watches it, but this time he stops right before Crognard gets eaten.
- Fluffy the Terrible: The five-headed nigh-invincible dragon in the last episode of Crognard is called Wigglepuss.
- Foreshadowing:
- The in-universe cartoons often relate to what will happen in the episode, and the finale of Crognard is no exception. In the cartoon - after surviving a whole show's worth of dangerous adventures - Crognard is abruptly killed at the end. Likewise, Zog and the turtles go on several missions together against the remaining Kraang - only for Zog to fall to his (presumable) death at the end of the episode. It also foreshadows the ending of the next episode, and Mikey's solution to "fixing" the ending (rewinding the tape) is pretty similar to what the turtles actually intend to do to fix the results of said next episode.
- This episode builds up to the season finale, showing that the Triceratons did in fact receive the message from Zog and are getting ready to invade Earth.
- Gory Discretion Shot: Oh god, the Crognard cartoon. Unlike most other examples of this trope, we actually get to see Crognard get chomped whole by a five-headed dragon...and then it cuts away to show the faces of his horrified friends, while wet, crunchy noises are heard for several moments after. It's hilariously disturbing.
- Hope Spot: When Zog falls to his death off Statue of Liberty, the Turtles believe that they stopped Zog from broadcasting his beacon to summon the Triceraton armada to invade Earth and destroy it to wipe out the Krang. Only for the scene shift to in space to reveal that the Triceraton army did manage get the beacon.
- Interactive Narrator: Mikey mistakes Rockwell for this when he contacts them telepathically.
- I Take Offense to That Last One: Mikey doesn't care for Zog's accusations.Zog: You Earth-Dwellers are full of lies and deceit!Mikey: Hey! Who're you calling Earth-Dweller?
- Jerkass Has a Point: Zog has every right to angry at Raph and the Turtles for deceiving him when he deluded from lack of nitrogen.
- Made of Iron: Zog is extremely tough and nothing hurts him at all.
- Malaproper: Mikey complains that the ending of Crognard the Barbarian was "anti-climate."
- No Biochemical Barriers: Averted, the Triceratons breathe nitrogen and for most of the episode Zog coughs, wheezes and speaks in broken sentences until he reclaims his old equipment.
- Not His Sled: Zog comes to his senses and turns on the Turtles, in stark contrast to his fate in the Mirage comics and 2003 cartoon.
- Not So Above It All/Skewed Priorities: While trying to contact Raph, Leo asks if Mikey has any information. Mikey says the Crognard finale was indeed the last episode. Leo says he was asking about Raph, then suddenly asks if there's a Crognard movie.
- Shout-Out:
- A couple to Ghostbusters II. In the Statue of Liberty there's an NES Advantage controller and graffiti reading "Venkman was here".
- Zog's approach in the opening features rippling puddles to herald his arrival.
- Wigglepuss is visually based on Tiamat, the deity of evil dragons in Dungeons & Dragons.
- The death of Crognard is a reference to the deaths of Optimus Prime and (almost) Duke in The Transformers: The Movie and G.I. Joe: The Movienote .
- Sudden Downer Ending: The final episode of Crognard the Barbarian. The turtles are none too pleased.Mikey: That's it? After all those adventures he just bites it?? What kind of anti-climate ending is that?!Donnie: ...Anti-climactic.
- Tranquil Fury: Zog barely raises his voice or is anywhere near as hammy as he was prior to regaining his bearings even though he hates the Turtles on principle and has every reason to be mad at them for taking advantage of him. It’s extremely effective as being so quiet and dead serious sells just how dramatic the twist that he is NOT a hero in this incarnation is.
- A Villain Named "Z__rg": Zog.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: Zog and the Triceratons hope to wipe out the Kraang by destroying any planet infested by them.
- What the Hell, Hero?: After getting his equipment back and being able to think clearly again, Zog is outraged at the Turtles for deceiving him.
- The Worf Effect: Zog effortlessly pummels Slash (who once nearly defeated all the turtles by himself) into unconsciousness and none of the characters can even hurt Zog.
